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PEINCETON, N. J.

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Presented by Mr. S::muel Agnew of Philadelphia, Pa.

Agueiv Coll. on Baptism, No.

%—^^^ ^^•***^ ^^^*^^^^

^/Z?"

Mr. STUB SS

SERMON

O F

BEFORE THE

LORD MAYOR, &c.

Martis, 'z/;. P/V Decembris, 1692.
Annoq-, Reg]6 ^ Regitid^^ Williel-
mi is Mariae, Angl' isc Sluarto.

THis Court dot4i defire Mr. Stubs
to Print his Sermon^ Preached at
Guild'Hdll-Chapel^ on Sunday the 20^^
Day of November laft, before the Lord I
Mayor and Aldermen of this City.

GOODFELLOW:

^ -J'

Imprimatur.

Guil. Lancafter, R. P. D.
^'St:^' Henrico Ep/c. Lond,^

a facrk Domejlkh.

II. I iiiimi' • — ^-■' — -»— -»-■■■

_ III ■ - '■" •' ■■-^'■-- - -:•<•*■■

O F

^ttbltcfe iSapttdn.

SERMON

Preached before the

Right Honourable

THE

LORD MAYOR.

AND THE

Court of ^luetmen,

AT

(ISuHD'i^aU'Cljapel, Sunday, Nov. 20. 1692.

By PHILIP STVBS, A.M.

Fellow of Wadham-CoUege^ Oxon,

And Chaplain to the Right Reverend Father in God,

KOBEKt Lord Bidiop of CHICHESTER.

LONDON,

Printed for He?2ry Bonwicke^ at the Red Lion in
St. P aid's Church- Yard, MDCXCIII.

i^

Digitized by the Internet Archive

in 2011, with funding froni

Princeton Theological Seminary Library^

http://www.archive.org/details/ofpublicbaptismsOOstub

■ Ii.«ll»

TO THE

RIGHT HONOURABLE^ *^c *''

Sir yOHN FLEET, Kt
LORD MAYOR

Of the CITY of

L O N D O N.

And to the

Court of Aldermea

Right Honourable,

THE unexpeded Succefs this
plain Difcourf^ (by theBleJJing
of God) met with from a kind,
Auditory in this City^ (for whofe private
Bene ft 'twaSy not long fince^ I muft con-
fefsj hut too hajiily drawn up;) 06 it
prompted me at firft to offer it before the
mojl publick Affembly therein at Guild-

A 3 Hall-

The Epiftle Dedicatory.

Hall-Chapel ; fo the Hopes of its farther
Vfefulnefs^makes me now readily comply
with Tour Honours Commands for its
Fublicationj in order thereunto. That it
may have its defignd EjfeH^ in contribu-
ting ( though never (o little ) to the Re-
trieving fo Ancient J fo Vniverfal ^ fo
Religious ^ I may fay , fo neceffary a
Traaice^ as 16 the fuhjeB Matter of it ;
andy by Confequence, to the farther Fro-
motingof God's Glory ^in the greater Good
of hk Church in general^ and the Welfare
of particular ChriftianSy is the Hearty
Dejire of

Right Honoufatle,

Youp moft Himible,

Mod: Obedient Servantj

PHIL STVBS.

A

SERMON

Before the

LORD MAYOR, drr.

St Matth. xxvii). 19.

Go ye therefore^ and teach all Nations ;
bapi:(ing them in the Name of the Fa-
ther ^ and of the Son^ and of the Holy
Ghojl.

■^HE Text is a full Commiffion, deli-
vered outby our Saviour to his Apo-
ftles, when he had juft fini{h*d the
glorious work of our Redemption,
and was now Afcending up again unto his Fa-
ther: whereby he impowers them to extend
the benefits of his Paflion by Baptifm^ as far as
he defign'd they fliould reach, even to the ut-
moft parts of the Earth : For as he himfelf had
fpent his whole time in Judea^ and the Regions
thereabout, amongft the Jerps^ God's peculiar

People ^

A Sermon before the

People ^ fo he commands them, whom he had
fully inftrufted in every Particular of his Do-
ftrine, to communicate it to the Gentiles.

Go ye therefore^ and teach all 'Nations ^ hapti-
%if?g them in the Name of the Father^ and of the
Son^ and of the Holy Ohoji,

From which Words, I may take Occafion to
fpeak of thefe Five Heads.

I. Of the Nature of Baptifm in general.

If. Of the Perfons here authoriz*d to Baptise »

ni. Of the Perfons to be B^^fixW.

IV. Of the Form of Baptifm, And,

Lajily^ Of the Time and Place^ when and where
this Sacrament ought to be adminiftred.

Of the Four firft (there being no difference
about them, either as to Principle or Praftice,
amongft thofe of our Communion ) I {hall fay
little more at prefent, than what may ferve by
w^ay of Introduflion, as it were, to the laft Par-
ticular, which I have defign'd for the main Sub-
ieft of my enfuing Difcourfe : Wherein I (hall,
with all the Brevity and Plainnefs I can, endea-
vour to demonflrate the Unreafonablenefs of
continuing that corrupt Cuftom crept in among
us, ( and which of late Years has prevaifd more
efpecially in this City^) of Baptising Children in
Priz^ate HoufeSy contrary to the earneft, pious
Defires and Endeavours of our Clergy, the de-
clared

Lord Mayor.

clarcd Senfe and Ufage of the Catholick Church
all along, the exprefs Orders and Conftitutions
of that found Part of it, whereof we boaft our
felves Members, and the very Reafon and De-
fign of the Inftitution it felf j^ to the no fniall
Difnonour of God Almighty, . in hindring the
greater Promotion of his Glory, and the Edifica-
tion of many Religious, well-difpos'd Chriftians.

But before I enter profeiTedly upon this Ar-
gument, I am to fpeak a Word or two briefly,
on the four jufl: mention'd Heads. And,

I. Of the Nature of Baptifm in general.

Now Baptifm fignrfies properly an Immerfion,
Dipping, or Wafliing the whole Body in Wa-
ter j and was a Ceremony ufed among the Hea-
the/if^ as well as the Jen^s-, upon the Admiifion of
any new Converts to their Religion : By which
Wafliing was fignified, the Clcanfing of the Per-
fons, fo baptized, from their former Pollutions ;
and their Refolution of continuing Pure and Un-
fpotted for the future. This Ceremony, being
very innocent, and very fignificant, the Holy Je-
fu^ was willing to continue it in his Church ;
leaving out the other of Circumcijion^ which fig-
nified but the fame thing, and was more injurious
to Men's Health, and to their Modefl:y.

I fay, Baptifm fignifies properly an Immerfion,
Dipping, or Wafliing the whole Body in Water :

B And

A Sermon before the

And fo it was prafl:is*d in the Primitive Times,
after the manner of Johns Baptifm, who chofe
the River Jordan^ and fuch Places, where there
was much Water, for the Convenience of fuch
an Immerfion : For fo it is exprefly faid of him,

s.joh.3.23. That John was baptising in Enon, near to Salim,
becaufe there was much Water there. After this
manner the Eunuch, in ASls 8. was baptized by S.

Aas8.38. Philip''} for 'tis faid, Ithey went down both into the
Water^ both Philip and the Eunuch, and he bapti-
i,ed him. And indeed, this Dipping all over in
Water is thought by fome, more fignificantthan
any other fort of Baptifm \ for hereby is denoted
the Cleanfing the whole Man from Sin, the be-
ing buried with Chrift in Baptifm, which is fig-
nified by the Immerfion, or Dipping in Water ;
and the Rifing to a Newnefs of Life, which is
fignified by the EmerfionjOrRifing out of it again.
But yet it is not fo neceffary, but it may be omit-
ted in f^our of the Weaknefs of the Perfon to
be baptiz'd, and the Pouring or Sprinkling of
Water us'd inftead of it , as has been the Pra-
£i:ice of thefe Northern Countries^ in the Baptifm
of Children, whofe tender Bodies cannot endure
a total Immerfion ; and of the firfl Ages of the
Church, in favour of Sick and Bed-rid Perfons,
who defir'd to become Chriftians. For, as God
Almighty is tender of our Souls^ fo he takes care

oft

Lord Mayor. $

of our Bodies too ; and his Laws are fo far from
injuring our Healths, that they highly improve
them : Upon which Account, it is not to be ima-
gined, that the Ceremony of Admifllon into the
Chriftian Religion fliould be more difficult, than
that into the Jewift Covenant 5 or that Children
(hould be oblig'd to become Martyrs , as foon
as they are made Profelytes,

But here it may be ftarted, That, admitting
this Wafliing, Dipping, or Sprinkling to be the
Ceremony of my Admifllon into Covenant with
Chrift, How doth it hence appear, that Chrift
thereby enters into Covenant with me ? I may
be waflied indeed with Water ^ But how
fliall I be fatisfied that Chrift wafhes me with his
Holy Spirit ? For the fatisfying of which Ob-
jeftion, I muft proceed to the Second Thing I
defign'd to fpeak of, 'z/ix.

II. The Perfons here authoriz'd to Baptise.

Whom, if we lookback to Ver, 16. of this
ChapUvy we ihall find to be the Apojiles : Tfc« st.Matt.28.16.
the Eleven Difciples (for fo the Jpojiles are there
call'd) went avpay into Galilee, into a Mountain
where Jefus had appointed them : Who, when he
came amongft them, fpake unto them, faying,
All Power w gizfen unto me^ in Heaven^ and in --v. 18^
^arth : Go ye therefore and teach all Nat ion Sy bap- -v. 19.
tiding them^ &c. As if he had faid, My Father

B 2 has

A Sermon before the

has left the Government of this World, which I
have redeemed with my Blood, to me : 1 have
power to make what Covenants I pleafe with
Mankind : I have told you, upon what Condi-
tions I will confer Heaven and Happinefs upon
Men : Go ye therefore, and let them all know
it : And I give you power, and none but you,
to admit them into this my new Covenant by
Baptifm. But then, the Mercy of God, as it was
willing to extend the Benefits of his Paflion be-
yond that Age of the World, and that Genera-
tion of Men, contTnu d Means for the efteftual
Continuance of this Power of making fuch Cove-
nants to the End of the World, by authorizing
the Apoftles to delegate and depute their Power
to others, in this large and plenary Commiflion,
s.joh.2o.2r. j4s my Father hath fent me^ e'ven fo fend 1 yon : I
give you the fame Authority, which I have re-
ceived : And as I had Power of my Father to
fend you forth to preach the Gofpel, and bapti%s
every Creature ^ fo I give you Power to fend
others forth with the fame Commiflion j to Or-
dain B'tfhops^ Priefls and Deacons^ as you ihall
judge expedient for the Edifying and Welfare'
of my Church. Which Power was accordingly
delegated, immediately afterwards, tofezfen Fer-
h&%.6.z. jons at once, as you'll find in ASls 6^ to Saul and
api3-3- Barnabas^ to t\\dr SnccefforSj until this very Pe-
riod

Lord Alayor.

riod of Time , wherein we of this Communion,
have Perfons under the feveral Charafters above-
niention'd, who derive their A&thority from
them, by an uninterrupted Succeffion. For no
Man can take this Authority upon himfelf ; and
unlefs there were Sacred Perfons fo continued in
the Church, there could, at this Day, be no Le-
gal or Valid Adminiftration of this Sacrament ;
and by Confequence, our Saviour's Command
would have long fince fell to the Ground, (which
I, tremble to think of,) when he bid them, and,
in them, their Succeffors, Go and teach all 'Nations^
bapti'z.ing them ^ &c. The Meaning of which
Words, AU Nations^ or an Enquiry,
^ : III. Into the Ferfons to be Bapti'x/d^ is the
'Subjefl of my Third General, which now offers
it fcif to be fpoke to , Go ye therefore and teach
All Nations, baptising thenty Sec,

The Lord God had, for a long time, dwelt
only in Judea : Though the vaft Circle of the
Earth, nor the larger Circumference of the Hea- 2 Chron, 2.5,
^ens cannot contain him ; yet, as the Ffalmiji ex-
prefTes it, at Salem was his Tabernacle^ and ^^pfai.76.2.
Dwelling at Sion : There was his Houfe, there
his peculiar Ftefidence. To the People of Ifrael
only had he given his Laws, and order'd the
manner of his Worfliip ; The reft of the World
feem'd over-look'dj and neglefted , like Chil-
dren

~j TiFinlierited and baniOi'd from their Fa-

Ss tetc Buc .hen the Bleffed Jefus^tl.

Wo dof Gofi, by -1^ ^"-^'Smlll t
aefcended, ^^^^^^XT^^r^l^^
tZ'Z tXn^^^r.^ Favour of God,
fnd con;' vd Means fo? ^^^^^^ZZ
his Family. He caus'd the \^/ aters o Bapufm
to extend' themfelves, as far as ^^oje 9f f ^ ^^^^
^^erfal Delme ■ that as all Men had once penjb a

vers iroui jr. R.Mifm - Who {hould not

Adverfanes to ^''fj-f^^^fca^^^
have been mention d in this P^^J ,V . ^^ p^^.
wild Ooinion runs counter to the BeUct ana rra
S ce of h °Univerfal Church in all Ages,) did
tt fome of them boaft of an Irrefragable Argu-
iiot iome ui ^ ^ Words

„ent «"*"^^;'^;', ^^^^^^^^^ hence that be-

r«.xe therefore every Body muft be taHght,bc-
7^ Z k S - 'd To which there need be gi-
fore he is H^^TT,,. but what the true Mean-

■'" 71 SrfainrWord will .eadily furnift us
ing of the Original vv o ^^^

with: For,M<.9»W™«, in th. uw^., '^ .
hereXe..^; as in our Tranaation •, but rather.

Lord Mayor.

mah DifcrpUs of: As if our Saviour ( alluding ^"*7. t fl
to a known Cultom among the jerps) had laid, /««* «, "ow ^«i
Go and admit into my Church, and mak^ Dif-fid iLoDiJcil
ciplesofzW Nations, and that by the Ceremony SSt/r'
of Baptifm 5 for ( which is very remarkable) in ^^^^^^^^ '^
the very next Verfe, where the Word Teaching locum.
comes again, there is another Word madeufe of ^/</itVwm?.'
in the Original, which has that for its proper fig-
nification. An Expofition, which, if it were
duly attended to, might be of no fmall life to
many unprejudic'd Anabaptifts. As,

IV. The Form of Baptifm here prefcribed, in ^

the Name of the Father ^ and of the Son^ and of the
Holy Ghoftj might be fo to another fort of feem-
ingly more Rational Perfons, who yet (fome of
them} make a Difficulty in Founding the Do-
S:rine of the Individual and Ever Blefled Tri-
nity upon exprefs Words of Scripture.

For, if the being bapti^d into the Name of the
Father^ and of the Son^ and of the Holy Ghofi^ as
the Original imports, e/? i^ tvoiM., and not in the
Name^ according to our Tranflation, which is
lefs fignificant. If, I fay, the being bapti%'d in- ^- Grot. fup.
to thofe Names doth not fignifie, the being ba-
ptized into the Belief of Three Perfons in one
Incomprehenfible Godhead, which diftinguiflies
the Chrijiian Baptifm from all others ; and the
fubmitting all the Faculties of our Souls and Bo-
dies

I o A Sermon before the

dies to the Soveraign Dominion and Guidance
of each of them, as iuch ; then the whole Church
almoft has been in an Error for nighthefe 1700
Years, and a Handful of Men, whofe Bufinefs it
is now-a-days to receive old, condemned Herefees^
are alone in the Right.

Thus have 1 briefly gone through the Four
firft Farticulars, which relate to the Ejpntials of
Baptifm : To all and Angular of which, every
one in our Communion is fo ready to fubfcribe,
againft all Anahaptijis^ Socinians^ and other Un-
orthodox Perfons whatever, that few would for-
give themfelves, fhould their Children by any
means happen to be otherwife bapti'x,ed than by
Sprinhjing them with Water^ according to the U-
fage of our Country, and not by Dipping them
all over in it; lliould they not be baptiTJd by a
Lawfully Ordain d Minifler of the Church of Eng-
land .3 and that too, in the Name of the Father ^
and of the Son^ a?id of the Holy Ghoji.

V. But now, as to the Circumftances of T^ime

and Place^ when and where t\iis Sacrament oxx^t

to be Adminiftred, which is my Fifth Particular,

and comes now to be confidcr'd more at large. .

the okc^e for Moft are fo prejudiced againft them, by a pre-

pubhck Bap- vailing Cuftom to the contrary, that, notwith-

S^officffor ^*^^^"g ^^^ f^^^^ ^^''s ns^ It ought not to be done^

Private Bap- but Upon Suiidays, or Holy-days 7 nor Out of the

'"^' I Church,

Lord Mayor. 1 1

Church, unlefs in Cafes of great Necejpty : They
think thefe Matters of no fuch Importance, but
that they may fafely pafs them by, and Chriften
their Children at Home^ when there is no Caufe
for it, without the leaft Contravention to my
Text, or any other place of Scripture.

To Perfons of which Complexion, I anfwer,
Firfi^ That although this Text is. not ftridly
producible for Publich^ Baptifm^ as it means Ba-
ftifm at the Font^ according to the particular Con-
ftitution of our Church, which provides, That Can. & conft.
there fhall be a Font of Stone in e'very Church or
Chapel J where Baptifm is to be Adminiftred j and
there ^ in that Font only, the Minifler Jhall Bapti%e
publickly : Yet ( with their Leaves ) it may be
urg'd for it, as far as the Delign of the Inftitu-
tion it felf will warrant us, and the early and
conftant Cuftom of the Church of Chrift, which
is the befl: Expofitor of fuch a Defign.

Now that Baptifm, even from the Church's
Infancy, has been all along as publickly celebra-
ted, as the prefent State of that did permit, may
be fairly gathered from the following Words of a
great Searcher into the Records of the Primitive
Times \ which fliall ferve inftead of many Qyo-
tations that might be brought for the Proof of
the Ailertion. "The Place where this folemn D^.c^winhrs
^' A^ion was perform'd, was at firft unhmited 5 ^'f^ ^^'^'^'

r ? _ ' part i. c. 19.

C '^ any

« I I ■ y II - I ' '■ I ' III '

12 A Sermon before the

^^2.p.93- " any Place where there was Water, as Jnjiin
" Martyr tells us ; In Ponds or Lakes , in.

^ep.ap zdv. ce Springs or Rivers, as TertuUian fpeaks : But
" always, as near as might be^ to the place or
" the Publich^Ajjemblies \ for it was feldoni done
*' without the Prefence of the Congregation.
And then.

Secondly^ I anfwer farther, That though the
Text before us fliould not be fufficient of it felf
to fatisfie ail the bewildring Doubts of the Scru-
pulous, or Perverfe, but, notwithftanding its E-
vidence, they will think themfelvesftill at liberty
to bapti'Le either in publicly or prii^ate ; yet, in
Confort with fome others that may be alledg'd,
it ought certainly to be thought of fuch Force, as
to conclude them without more a-do, and im-
mediately determine their Choice. Such are

icor.14.40. thefe, and the like Apoftolical Canons ; Let all

26. ^f^^^S'^ ^^ done decently^ and in order. Let aU things

be done to edifying. From which, and feveral other

vaTias5«/f. Places of Sctipturc of the fame Nature, it is on

mv.hafiiBo. ^jj Hands acknowledged amonp Proteftants^ That

tern. Belg. Sax, 1 . . L /-i / ^ ^ ! i^

&c. hereby is given to the Church rower to make De-

crees about fuch Matters as this^ and others der
fign d there, where St. Paul tells the Corinthians^
1 Cor. 11.34. That the refi he wiU fet in order when he comes*
Art.ae?, And we of this Church exprefly affert, Tbsitjhe
has Pomer to decree Kites and Ceremonies^ not re-
pugnant

■Afeu

-ru -iim-tfrrnr i

Lord Mayor. i g

pugnant to the Word of God: And that the Bring-
ing of Perfons to be folemnly baptiiJd in God's
Houfe, for the general Good of Chriftians there
prefent, has no fuch Contrariety, mufl ftili be
prefum'd, till better Topicks for Convi5:ion
be found out, than what have hitherto been
offer'd.

Now, this Power being granted, as lodg'd
in the Church , it will hence follow, That
what our Mother doth lawfully enjoin, we are,
with Readinefs and Submiflion to aifent to ; left
by (landing out againft her objiinately^ we fin as
much againft Heaven, w^ho gave her this Com-
miflion, as w^e do againft the Authority of the
Church it fclf.

However therefore fome may ftile themfelves
her Children, and feem mightily pleas'd with the
fpecious Appellation of True Sons of the Church
of England, whilft they arc guilty of fuch an Ir-
regularity as Fri'vate Baptifm has been always rec-
koned in it, (efpecially when required to the
contrary,) they muft pardon others who cannot
but think them highly unworthy to be call'd fo ;
fince by fuch ftubborn, undutiful Carriage, (were
all Men as pofitive in their Refufals as they,) her
Being muft (inevitably) be deftroy'd as a Churchy
whence every one of us derive our own, ^s Chri-
ftians,

C 2 . But,

I ^ A Sermon before the

But, to be more methodical, and to preisthis
Matter with greater Application, let me crave
your Patience, whihl 1 tender to you the Four
following Particulars.
• I . The exprefs Orders of our Church, with
Relation to Fublic\ Baptifm^ and the Care flie
haa-.takcn in the Contrivance of her Form for it,
fo, that there can be no Tntrenchment upon it,
without a great deal of Abfurdity, as wellasDif-
iCor.ii22. obedience on their fide, who become Defpifers
of the Church ofGod^ by adling contrary to her
Injunftions.

2. That the Obedience of her Genuine Sons
, in this Affair, may not be Nick-nam'd, or termed .
Implicit, I fliall fhew, that fhe hath done nothing
herein, but upon very extraordinary Motives ,
in that her Conftitutions about it do not only
bear a fweet Harmony to the PraSice of the
Eajiern^ and all the Weflern Churches : But,

5. That the Prafiice of all thefe Churches is
grounded upon the earlieft Antiquity : And,

4. That that Antiquity has no lefs folid a Ba-
fis, than the firmeft Reafons to fupport it.

But of each of thefe as briefly as poflible. And, •

I . Then, As to the Orders of our Church :

Can 81. befides the Canon juft now mentioned, where

there is a Font enjoin d to be fet up in e^very Church

or Chapel, where Baptifm k to be Adminiflerd ^

and

Lord Mayor. I 5

and that in tki^ont only, the Minijier fjall Bapti%,e
publickly ; the Office for Publick Baptifm {mh
in one place, That the People are tobeadnwnifh'd^ tSoffice °^
that it is moft. cowvemmt that BaptifiK fhc%ld not be
Adnnnifterd^ but upon Sundays, and 1 loly-days^
tphen the tnoji number of People come together. In
another place it enjoins, T\\2it n^hen there are ClfH-^^^^'^^^'
dren to be bapti'Zt'd^ the Parents Jhall gi^e notice
thereof o'ver Nighty or in the Mornings before the
Beginning of Morning- Prayer^ to the Curate : And
theny the Godfathers and Godmother s^ and the Peo-
ple ^ with the Children y muft be ready at the Font,
either immediately after the Laft LeJJon at Morning-
Prayer ^ or elfe immediately after the haft LeJjon at>
Ei/ening-Prayer j as the Curate^ by his Difcretion^
fjall appoint. Again, In the Office for Private
Baptifm^ 'The Curates of every Parifh fhaU often ad- ^^rid 3d.
monifb their Par ifbioners^ thatj without great Caufe
and Necejpty^ they procure not their Children to be
baptiz*d at home, in their Houfes. QurChurcJi
is (o indulgent a Mother, that (he permits any to
be baptiz'd in Private when there is a Necejpty
for it, agreeably to the Pra Sice of the Univerfal
Church all along ; and accc^rdingly hath provided
a particular Form for fuch Exigencies ; But this
dill with an Injunfiion, That afterwards they be ^todce'ht
brought to Churchj that thofe Prayers and Rites, Private Bapt.
which before were omitted in the Office, may be
there publickly fupplied. . This

1 6 A Sermon before the

This is the Scnce of our Church in this Matter,
and her Determination, and therefore fufficient,
as has been prov'd, to obUge every T^rne Son of
hers to acquiefce therein, and be conformable.

But I have yet farther to urge. That whofo-
ever will be JiiMomy and run counter to thefe
Eftablifliments of hers, by Chrift'ning his Chil-
dren^? home^dini. that by the fublickForm^(yj\\ich.
is ftill infifted upon,) muft not only be reckon d
guilty of manifeft Difobedience to his Mother,
but is chargeable likewife with fcveral grofs Ab-
furdities in one of the folemneft of God's holy
Ordinances ; the Public\Form being fo contriv'd,
to prevent Evafion, or Collufion herein, that it
cannot properly be us'd any where but in the
Mf. Arwaker's Chutch \ as has been well obferv'd in a late Trea-*
TubiiciBaptifm tife ou this Argument, to which hardly any thing
uj^tlhe'ch. can be added on this Head. For, i . For inftance,
^^ as the Author obierves, When the Minifter fays
thus to the Godfathers and Godmothers, Ton
jvo carnetenf. hdz^c broHght thfs Child here to be bapti%'d^ ^ ac^
cramenLDe- cordiug to that of ouc of the Aucicnts, ToH were
brought to Church in the Arms of your Sureties j )
he ought, in a Private Houfey to invert the Words
thus. Ye ha^e brought me here to haft i^e this Child.
1. How can any Minifter ufe that Petition in the
laftColIeft, before the Prayer of Confecrationy
in fuch a place, with any colour of Reafon, when

dicac.

Lord Mayor. 1 7

He is thus to addrefs himfelf to God Almighty,
Grant that whofoe^z^er is here dedicated unto thee^ by
our Office and Miniflry^ may be endued^ Sec. whilft
by Here is undoubtedly meant the Font in the
Church, or the Church it felf, the proper place
of Dedication ; at leaft, Hannah was of that Opi- » Sam. i. 24,
nion, when llie ofter'd her Samuel^ the Son of+ier
Prayers, in the Haufe of the Lord^ wi:h a Defign
of Dedicating him there to his Service. 3. In
the Prayer of Confecration it feli, it is no fmall
Argument to prevail for God's Aflent to the Pe-
titions ofFer'd in the behalf of the Child, to be
Regenerated , That he would regard the Prayers
of Ms Congregation^ and comply therewith^ in San-
Bifying the Water ^ to the Myjiical Wajhingan^ayof
Sin^ Sec. Now this Congregation , whole
Prayers are thought thus efficacious, ought to be
fuch an one, ( as the above-cited Author ob- ^^g. 31:
ferves, ) of which the Minifter may {afely and
truly fay. Thy Corigregation , for there is certainly
the greateft Validity in the Prayers of God's
Congregation : But there is great Reafon t©
think, that thofe are not fuch, which arc ga-
thered in a private Houfe, on fuch an Account ;
fince the Church has not appointed it a fit place
for Baptifm^ unlefs, as was abovefaid, in Cafes of
extream Necefllty. So that Private Houfes be-
ing not ordinarily alto w^d^ muclilcfs commajnded

to-

1 8 A Sermon before the

to be made ufe of as fuch ; nay, oftentimes per-
*verfely appropriated by fome, to that Life, a-
gainft the exprefs Authority of the Church, and
earneft Sollicitation of thofe that are fet over
them ; whoever affemble there, in fuch an ille-
gal manner, mufi: be thought as really guilty of
zoi(apudBe- ^ J^^fordcr in the Chfrchy as thofe who meet in
veregium, prohibited Numbers and Places are of a Riot in
ad Can. 3 f/* thc State. Nor will that pitiful Plea from our
TruiTo". ^* ^^ Saviour's (ignorantly mifapply'd) Promife, IVhere
Sf^ Match. 1 8. j'jpff ^y, Yhree are gather d together in my Name^

there am I in the midji of them, ftand them in
any ftead '-, Since we mufi: not be allow'd to ar-
gue from extraordinary, to ordiaary and com-
mon Cafes ; for though not a Tittle of our Sa-
viour's Words fhall fall to the Ground, but he
will be with his all the World over, till the Con-
fummation of all things ; yet this Text mufi: be
underfl:ood of them, as duly circumfl:antiated,
with refpeft to T/>;/e, Place^ Sec. Hence the
Reafon of no Confidering Perfon will give him
leave to fay, Becaufe our Saviour fupportcd his
Difciples with thefe Words, whom he forefaw
Drooping, ere-long, under a Perfecuted Condi-'
tion ; therefore they may make ufe of k
upon every Caprichio^ (as too many among our
Laity actually do^) in the more flouriOiing State
of the Church, againfl the known Orders of the

Efta-

Lord Mayor. 1 9

Eftabliflimenc in it, to which, in many the like
Cafes, they readily fubmit upon thofe very Mo-
tives which are ufually urg'd for their Obedience
to this Injunction. But, 4. The laft Abfurdity
committed in ufing our Fublick Form at Home^ is,
the Kecei'z^ing the Child : When the Minifter, ha-
ving firft Nam'd it, and Baptiz*d it, holding it
flill in his Hand, ufes thefe Words of Admiffion,
We recei'ue this Child into the Congregation ofChrijVs
Floch^^ &c. Which Reception doth not *on]y
mean, into the whole Body of the Z^ni<verfal
Churchy but a^ well that Keprefentati've Fart then
prefent, and Confenting to it for the Whole,
And the Minifter's Embracing the Child, is for
the fame End^ as the Impofition of Hands in Ba-
ptifm was of Old ^ which, Durantus teWs us, fig- DeRit.Ecd.
nified the Reconciliation, by which he that was ap, i. ' ^^*
without the Church a Child of Wrath, according
to our Catechifm, was in the Church receiv'd into
the Church's Favour, and made a Child of Grace.

Thus have I laid before you the Commands of
our Church, with relation to Pnblich, Baptifnty
together with the Danger and Abfurdity of our
Breach of them *, which was the Firft Particular :
1 haften through the following Ones with all ima-
ginable Brevity, and proceed to fhew,

2. That She has done nothing herein, but
i^pon very extraordinary Motives, in that her

D Thoughts,

20 A Sermon before the

Thoughts, with refpcft to the Bufincfs in hand,

accord with the Eajiern^ and all the Weftem

Churches now in the World.

Chap. 7. As for the Eaflern^ Sir Paul Kicaut^ in his Pre-

fent State of the Greek Church, tells us. That

T^hat hathf from long Antiquity^ praSlis'dj on the

Eighth Day to prefe?;t their Children at the Church-

Forch^to receizfe the Blejfmg of the Prieft^Scc. And

'tis notorioufly known, that the Praftice of the

Church o{ Kome^ here in the Wefl:^ is agreeable to

vid.Rituaie '^^^ Conftitutions ; Cum proprius locm hujus Sa-

juffuPauii';. cramenti fit Ecclefia Parochially. ?inUus extra eam^

Colon. Edit. .r r . ■ r^ m • 1 ■ xt j t

;;/// forte in caju tiecejjitatn bapti%et. IN or doth
She permit any, but in Cafes of Extream Necejpty^
to be baptiz'd at Home j and they, upon Reco-
very, are ftill brought to Church afterwards. The
French ( as well as the other Reformed Churches
^^ ^^ j' .^''''^^'' abroad, conformable to which is their Praftice
porter ks En- (^as many of them as have Churches) in this City)
pi'^^er^'ouk Di- not only order this Ufage in their Ser^ice-Boo^^
Zlres]oln m t>ut, as wc do, givc their Rcafons for it there
serriKn: a fin Hkewifc ! Becaufe ^ Baptifm, fay they, is a folemn

que coiKnte le J •» 11

33apterme eft Admiffion into the Church of Chrifl^ and therefore
foienneiie en ought to be done in the Face of the AfTembly, who
W^^l^^^t are to be Witneffes of the Matter. Nay, The
fembiH V £« ^^&^^P Congregation which was gather'd at Ge-
Forme d' Jdmi- f;ezf ay 111 the Year 1*558. upon an unjuft Dif-
ufm7, ' '^'like of fome Things in our Liturgy and Church-
Govern-

■i«BMMdWb*Mtt;adMHriMMH*«

Lord Mayor. 21

Government here, in their Form of Prayer^ and ^?%^^y^'^*^
Adminiflration of the Sacraments^ approved by J. i^^^^' i«
Call-in himfelf, tells us pofitively, That it k evi-
dent from God's Word^ that the Sacraments are not
Ordain d of him J to be us' d in Frivue ComeiiS^ as
Charms or Sorceries , but left to the Congregation,
and neceffarily annex d to God's Word^ as Seals of
the fame : T'herefore the Infant^ which is to be ba--
pti'z>'d^ (hall be brought to Chu rch on the Day appoin-
ted^ to Common Prayer ^ and Preachings &c. And
(which I hope will be for the Convidion of thole
among us, who are very ready to charge every
Perfon or Thing with Popery^ or Superflition at
leaft, that doth but look towards the Eftablifli-
ing or Retrieving any of the Solemnities in God's
Worftiip) Even the Presbyterian DireSiory^ in the
late Times of Confufion, exprefly Ordains, That in the chap.;
Baptifm be not Adnwiifterd in Private Places, or ^ll'^fm,^. 19.
Privately, but in the Place f?/'Publick Worfliip, and
in the Face of the Congregation, where the People
may mofi con'veniently fee and hear : Which the
Framers of it likewife tell us, w^as reiolv'd upon, seethe prefaa
After earneji and frequent Calling upon the Name of }lr Ihfmuci
God', and after much Confultation.not with Flefh and 2tghl Enl
Bloody but with his Holy Word, Purfuant to which s'and, scot-
Refolutions, as it fnould feem, we are told, that as land.
for their Brethren in Scotland, no Length of Way, ^ap.'p.'/s?^'
nor fcarce any Indifpofition, can prevail with

D 2 them

C}

2 A Sermon before the

them to keep their Children from the Church'^ but

they carry them feveral Miles to be bapti'^d^ that

it may be done in Fublk\: And that they thought

it an inexpreflible Favour, when a Toleration was

granted them for Prii/ate Baptifm in cdiit of Great

Necejpty. But,

3. There is not only a Confent between ours

and thefe Churches in this Particular, but the Pra-

ftice of all of them is grounded upon the earlieft

Antiquity : For the Proof of which, I (hall not

now trouble you with a pompous Oftentation of

Authorities ? though I might quote to you Jujiifi

Martyr^ St. Athanafim^ Gregory Na^ian^en^ Am-

"(■ vid. Cocceii Thef. Cathoi. Tom. 2. brofe^ Chryfoflom % &c, with

^'\jf^'Jclis lol7u!^pl"!'ipue Can. 59. Couucils tj General and Pro-
antii iSm Cone, conftant. ^ Jc Stat, yjncial j but dcfirc the * abovc-

eui, KdLK^cn -^ «J^?5*« tcwvk^ ^AetufcTw- fa id 5 That the Place where this

tjj}, <pvAcl7jm, «^^ ;cA«6«KoV «'«, y^^cu- jolemn AtUon rvas perform d^
JB.&W, « Q Ka:im, Aipiexi^u^' ^^ ^t firfi tmUmited ; any place

*Pag. II. /rowi Cave's Primitive Chn- J .^ -^ ■*

/?«»«;', Part I. Chap. 10. Pag. 311. where there was Water'') as^ a
Tandy hah^e^ Ki^uer^ or Springs fer<ving turn : But
that always they chofe a Place for Baptifm as near
as might be to that of the Publick AfTembly ; for
"'twas feldom done ( even in the very Infancy of
the Church ) without the Pre fence of the Congre^
gatiom For which Reafon it was, that in An-
cient

Lord Alayor. 23

cient Times, as we are there likewife told, their id.ibid,p3i2,
Baptifteria, or Fonts, as we call them^ were built
at jlrji near 'the Churchy then in the Church-Porch^
to reprefent Baptifnis being the Entrance into the
Myflical Church , and afterwards in the Church it
felf. At which Places, Baptifm was of Old Ad-
minifter'd only on Eajier and ^to-Sunday, as
many Councils formerly ordered , becaufe ( as
one of them is exprefs) at thofe Solemn Times DeCdtechume.
there were the mofi: numerous Affemblies , and id jiamlmejtl
by Confequence, the Adminiftration of this ho- Vnmtflertl
ly Rite would be then more for the Edification ^^"""'''^? ^"f

•/ to major IS cik'

of the Church. brimisvajorefi

Tin 11 1 r 1 r\ ' r cekbritas.tanto

Where, by the way, we may oblerve the Rile magis ad bxph-
oiPri'vate Baptifm in the Primitive Church, to- J^olXtnt
gether with the Reafonablenefs of its Allowance ^^"- 3-
then: For, they relerving the Baptization of all
their Catechumens till thofe two great Feftivals, if
any of them in the mean while happened to be in
great danger of Perfecution, as was probable in Q'^iemmindif
the firft Ages of the Church j Incirrfions of B.ir-^/V, hofniuxtis
barous Enemies, no lefs frequent in the fucceed- *dhn!rm£'
ing Times, prefent Death, by Sicknefs, or any ^."J'.^^JX'^i"
other Means , they granted them the Liberty of^rrudinisdefpe-

|. f -Ji'T t f riin rxtionemincide-'

beuig baptiz d immediately, leariul lelt at any nnt^zfibiunko

time they fliouldgo out of the World, deprived ^XvJ* popof^^-'
of the Benefit of this Holy Laver. luJf^^

cunt, momento
temporis, expetjiee re^ensrutmif pr<imfii eofife^ultntHr, Sificius Papa ad Himerium Tarraco-
nsnfem.

But,

24- ^ Sermon before the *

But, God be thanked, we are under no fuch Jpprehen-
fions at prefent ; though we were then, when this Cu-
itom oiChriftning at Home firfl got Footing amongft us ;
no fuch Practice being heard of in the Church of Erigland^
till the late Times of our horrible Diif ra£lions. Which
bare Confideration, viz. of the Means whereby this U-
{age was here introduced, might, one would think, have
long fince renderM it odious and abominable, to thole
efpecially, who have the Conlcience ftill left them to ab-
hor the lewd Proceedings of thole Days, when Wtld En-
thufinfm^ and Blind Z^d juftled all lober Religion al-
moli, with God's Solemn Worfljip^ out of thele three
Kingdoms. But,

4^. and Laftly^ The Conftitutions of our Church,
which order Baptilm to be Publickly Celebrated, do not
only bear a juft Correlpondence with the Pradlice of the
Eafiern, and all the Weftern Churches now in the World,
as grounded upon the earlieft Antiquity : But that An-
tiquity has no lels folid a Bafis, than the firmeft Realbn,
to fupport it ; Three of which I fhall, for the prefent,
only hint at, leaving the farther Confideration of them,
and others as obvious, to your own more ferious Re-
fleiElions. The
condl.Gerund. i. Of which, is, That Pul?lick Bapiifm IS morc for E-

Amo^ri. ^^fi^^tio'fJ' This the Primitive Church was fenfible ol, as
you find from the Canon of the Council juft now men-
tion'd, which (with a great number befides) orders Ba-
pifm to be perform'd on Eafier and Whit-Sundays only ;
becaule then the Congregations were fuller. This our
Church is very lenfible of, in like manner, when She .
Ruhr I. z« tk ^^^^^'^ ^^ to be adminiftred ordinarily upon Sundays^ or
o^cefor Tub- Holy days, when the greatefi Number of People are met to-
ii(k Biptifm. gather ; that all there prefent may he put in mind of their
own Profeffion made to God in their Baptifm, This the
French Reformed Church is highly lenfible of, when, in
her laft Rdrick, in fhe Office for Pdlick Baptifm^ She or-
ders,

Lord Mayor. 2 5

ders, That the Minifier^ Baptizwg in the Churchy fpeak as ^^ *^«^ f<^^i^ a

loud as he cm^ in the Vulg:,r Tongue^ that all may be ediptd, : ul^l^e 'u^haire

En reconnoi([ant & redmfant en memoire, quel eft le fruit, d'autam \ue li

& I'ufage de leur Baptefme. This, in a Word, ^^^ ^^^ f2l! d!ii'en!l

Churches in the World are fenfible of, their Cuftom be- umindedqui

ing principally founded upon this Motive. But, then, ^> h^^* '^ 3««'«

2. The very Nature and Deftgn of Baptifm befpeaks fi^eltf^ZJji

the Reafbnablenefs of its being done in Publick : It is, as afn que tons

has been faid, our folemn AdmiTwn into the Chriftian {^r/«no/£ &''

Church, and therefore ought to be done openly ; that as la Forme'

our own inftruQis us, theC or.gr egat ion then prefent may te- ^' Adminiftrec

ftifte the Receiving of them that are newly baptized into the ^^xihux.Tnths.

Number of Chrift'^s Church, And, office for Pub^

^. We may confider, that Baptifm contains a Publick ^^''^^'^P"!'^-
Profejftonof our Faith inChrift, by our Godfathers and
Godmothers. Now, the Profeffion of our Faith, the
more publick it is,the more agreeable is it to the Nature of
Baptifm, and the Conftitution of the Chriftian Church ;
which is a Viftble Society, profeffing the Faith of Chrift.
And whejCcan it poffibly be more publick, than in the Pfal. 116.13.
Courts of the Lord^s Houfe ? The Publick Congregation for
God's Worfhip, held by Publick Authority, in Places pub^
lickly fet a- part for that purpofe ; when the End of A(^
fembling there, is, the more Iblemn Celebration of God's
Honour ; that Devout Perfbns may,with one Mind, and
one Mouth,^lorifie his Name together.

Thus havelgone through all the Particulars I defign'd
to fpeak to : Arid^iave (hewn,

I. Very briefly, The Nature oH^aptifm in general.

II. Who were the Perfons Commiffiond by our Saviour
to baptize,

III. Who ought to be ^4^^/V(^.

IV. After what Form. And,

V. More at large, at what Time, and in what Place,

I (hould now put an End to this Dilcourfe, but that it
may be expeded, (ince I have been fo copious in the De-
fence

26 A Sermo?i before the

fence of Puhlick Baptifm, that 1 fliouid fay fomewhat by
way of Obviating thofe Fre^e;?ce/, which have been fb
powerful, as to uphold the contrary Fra^ice amongft too
many of us, for fbme Years laft paft.

And, indeed, were it not for this Reafon, notwith-
. ftanding their Prevalency, I (hould have thought the befl
of them too weak and trifling, flich as deferv'd rather to
be pafs'd over in Silence, or, at mofl, anfwer'd by a Mi-
ni fler in Whifpers, as they are commonly urg'd to him,
rather than mention'd by way of Confutation before fuch
an Auditory as this. But, fuch as they are, they may be
reduc'd to Three chiefly ; either of the Richer Sorty the
Poorer, or Both indifferently.

The Richer Sort ufually preface their Refolutions about
a Private Chrijlnifig, with an Intimation of their fincere
Intentions towards the Church of England, in which they
were born and bred, and refolve, by the Grace of God,
to die in too : But, as for the Bufmefs in hand, the Child
is at prefent indi[fos*d, and the Gojjlfs are now in the
Way, who cannot fb well attend another Time ; and
therefore it is convenient it fhould be done immediately^
without making any farther Trouble ont.

To fuch it may eafily be anfwer'd, If they are fb well
affe^led, as they pretend, to the Church of England, or
rather the Church of Ckrift, let them fhew their Affe-
ftion, by a ready Compliance to the wholfom Injun-
^ions of this in general, with relation to Puhlick Ba •
ptifm ; and that in particular, which has provided a Pri-
vate Form, purpofely to be us'd in fuch Exigencies ; and
Rubr. ^th. in fatisfies them there, That the Child fo bapti£d, i^ lawful-
tnat O ce. ^ and fufficiently hnpti£d, and ought not to he baptized a-
gain : But only defires, upon Recovery, it be brought to
Church afterwards, for the Reafons jufl: mention'd ; and
there receive the high Honour of being orderly and fb-
lemnly admitted into Christ's Flock. But, to be plain,
'Tis not the Child's real Indifpofition, but the unliappy

Bent

Lord Mayor. 27

— — — —— ^- ■ ■— ^i^— — ^^■— ^^i^^M^IMMI .1 imi^MM ■■■■» !■ II II I 1 — ■■'■ I I - !■ . .-I. ■ ■■■- — — ii^^.i I Mil —III ■», ___i. I. M .■»y.-

Bent of the Parents too perverfe Inclinations oftentimes,
that make them take thefe Meafures ; fince 'tis notorious,
that, of thole who dar'd not venture their Infant two or
three Doors to Churchy in the cold Air of this C///,many have
fpeedily after fent it out jfome Miles in a much colder, to be
taken Care of in the Country. And therf, as for the Excufc
of wanting thofe that will (land Gc^4/^erj and Godmothtrs^
'tis well known, that Perfons of any Fafhion, are not with-
out Numbers, ambitious of paying that Complemental Piece
of Refpe^f to them ; ( for, to our Shame be it fpoken, 'tis
■too frequently look'd upon as no more. )

On the other fide, Whilll: we have glofs'd, 'uarniflPd Fdf-
hood^^om. the Rich^ fuitable to their Circumftances, we meet
with fimple^ naked Truth from the Poor : What was pretended
Indifpofition in the former, is downright Shame in the latter,

Truly, though ( they thank God ) they want nothing,
yet they are not fb well to pais in the World, as to niake
a Figure int , and upon that Account, being unable to pro-
vide things handfom enough for their Company , and a Publick
Jppearance, they don't care to be ridicuPd and laughed at by
their Neighbours, till they can.

To which 't may be reply 'd,in a Word,That the Inanity of
{bme in a higher Rank, ought not to be a Rule for thofe in
a meaner Condition ; much lefs fhould the Avoiding of it be
objected to them ; then which, nothing can more advance
their Reputation among Perfbns of Prudence and Sobriety ;
whole Cenfiires, in fuch Cafes, are alone to be regarded.

And, indeed, were thofe Extravagant Expences retrench'd,
which are every where too common on fuch Occafions, and
have been condemned in three late CounciJs^ even by the Or- ConcColpiv
rupt Church of Rome ; we fhould quickly find the Thoughts ^^J*- ^'
of moil People, which are now wholly bent upon Drefs, clT."xv\,
Shew, and the Pom^ of the Bufinefs, turn'd a contrary way ; Cmc. Medioi.
and the chief Solemnity of Chriflnings would then lie, in \ul' affaptic.
having the Religiom Part of them perform'd more decently, mm eminent,
v^i^b r^n^/^A ro Time, ?i"Cc, &c. th'in P'enerallv now it is.

28 A Sermon before the

But, 5. The Maw^ Topping Argument from both Sorts,
is, That fuch or fuch Great Men have not fcrupl'd to Chri-
ften in Private : Why therefore fhould others refufe it, wiio
are not nigh fb much Dignify d^ nor Diftinguijh'^d .?

To this lanfwer, Laftly, When thole Eminent Per fons
declin'd their Rule, they did it with Reafbn, or without.

If without, Then their Example ought no more to be a.
Guide to others, than the unwarrantable Actions ot a Su-
perior Magiftrate in any Corporation, lliould he proposed
to the Imitation of an Inferior one ; for, however they may
both, by>he Connivance of the Higher Powers, or any other
way, elcape the Punilhment due to them for the Breach of
the Laws of their Country ; yet there is a Court of Con-
fcience in each of their Brealis, that will not acquit them
here, and a Sentence to be awarded them by the higheO:
Tribunal hereafter.

If they did it with Reafbn,Then it muft be prefum'd 'twas

for the fame that made Mofes connive at fbme Irregularities

in the Jews-^viz,. the Hardnef of their Hearts^in hopes to bring

them, by this Means, at length, to an entire Conformity.

For, to that deplorable Condition are we arriv'd, through a

complicated Degeneracy of Principles and Manners, peculiar

to this Age, that unlefs a Clergy-man will now and then fub^

mit to undue Compliances of this nature, fomcproudf pee-

vi/b Perfons there are, who fhall make it their whole Study

and Endeavour(by fpread in g about malicious Innuendo*s,^nd

palpable Untruths, with other indited Methods) to render

his Preaching, Prayers, Adminifiratton of the other Sacrament,

his whoh Minifiry ineffeQual. But, God be thanked, this.

IS^o^if 9°"' ^^ ^^^ ^^^ ^^^^ of a few ; the reft of the Laity generally ftan-

\. Inter ce'n^u- dingout upou no Other Ground, than the Strength of that

TAs t5 decreti y^^ Qufiom to the contrary, which many wifh heartily were

umS^vitiorum brokc, but Only are (hy, each of them, of firft attempting it,

td sjnodi judi- Far be it therefore from me, to apply to the Piefent State

IZilZT ^^ ^^^ Church, with relation to this Affair , what was

Deer. 15. ' faid, by one of the * Comcils laft mention'd, of the Clergy and

Laity

' • — 1-1 I II' -'"I I ^r

Lord Mayor. 2p

Liiiiy in the Dioctfs o^Cologne^ where Private Baptifm began
to make Head : Dtteflanda efi non minus Laicorum luperbia,
quam Paftorum tis ohfequentium adulatio, qui contempta Ec-
ckfj^ froks fuas volunt in6om\hws{^a\s bapizari^ (^ eo Ba-
ftifmi aquam deftrri. No, it is not owing to the bafe Eafmefs
of our Clergy y in making Conceflions of this nature ; nor to
the Pride of moft of our Laity ,(thQUgii fbme muft be thought Frmte Baptifm
to make it a Piece of State ) that they have had a long f^-^ isfwcebe-
while, and (fill have in too many places, their Children ge- vanit^y, Ind a
nerally Chrifind at Home^ but to the great difficulty of brea- p^'^^^ 0/ Affeft-
king a Cuftom ; which, as it began in a very illTime^ and has J«'s^^H:ft. ^Re-
more unhafply prevail'd ever fince ; fb it will h^mofi difmal form. Abridg-
in its Conlequences, if the Obfervation of a great Doctor in ^^' Y^- ^•
our Church holds good, That there is not a fnore ready way to x^k, sh^rinV^
root out Chrifiianity it felf among us, than (thus) to deflroy^^"^^^' ^^''^^"
the Solemnities of God's Worjhip. ^^^^ %t ^'

However therefore fbme Men, when prefs'd with Argu-
ments of this kind from the»Pulpit, or other wife, are apt to
ftifle or fhuffle them off, with crying out in general of 4 Ho-
Life, a Holy Life, as the only Stable Support of Chriftianity.
Sure I am (though what they fay is true) yet they are ne-
ver like to be any great Pillars of it, who are deaf to all In-
formations about, and confequently negled all the Means
of Practice , amongft which, a due Adminiliration of God's
Holy Sacraments has ftill been reckon'd none of the leaft.

The Application from all, what has been faid, is this, in
fhort ; That fince there is no Shadow of Reafbn for Private
Baptifm, and no Bar againft bringing this Ancient yt\\is Catho-
lick, this Religious, this almoFi necejfary Practice oi Baptizing .
in Publick, into a greater Efteem amongft us, than the piti-
ful Plea of a prevailing Cufiom to the contrary, which might
be eafily overthrown by the Encouragement, and efpecially
the Example of Rich Men ; whom their Meaner Neigh oours
would as readily follow in Religiom Vfages, as in Ctvil Fa"
{bions, I fay, fince there is no other Bar againft Publick Ba-
ptifm, but this pitiful Plea, it may be worth while for all

Perfons

go A Sermon before the

Perfons of Character and Station to conlider, whether, as

God has beilo w'd on them more difiinguifljing Marks of his

Favour, than on others round about theEi, they ought not

( were it only by way of Gratitude ) to ftgnalize them-

felves more elpecially , and become forwarder Inflames

in promoting his Glory all the ways imaginable : A fair

Opportunity of doing which, in no fmall meafurc, they

have in the Matter before us, which tends fo much, as we

have feen, to the Good of his Churchy in the Edification of

particular ChriflianSy and (which is little thought on j the

Welfare of their own Souls too.

See the Vuyer For, Whereas they befeech God every Lord^s-Day, and

f<^ ^/"^r Holy-Day, that he would give his Grace to all Bifhops and

tannin the Cutates, that they Rightly and Duly Adminifler his Holy Sa-

Communion- craments \ if in this, as well as other 'Petitions, their Hearts

Service. g^ along with their Lip, and their Endeavours with both ;

if they do not fruflrate this his Gra<:e here, by difcouraging

his Mtmfters in 2i faithful Difchkrge of their Office, they may

then exped to be at length Partakers with him in Everlaft-

ing Glory hereafter.

Now, Confider we, what has been f^iid, and God Al-
mighty give every one of us a right Judgment in this Parti-
cular, as wellas in all otl^er Matters ; That, as he hath left in
Church-Cat e- his Church but two Sacraments, as Outward and Viftble Signs
chifm. t)f his Inward and Spiritual Grace, we may none of us, in the

great Day of Vifitation, be found among thofe, who have
e'lthtv fcandaloufly negkcled the one, or huddled up the other
in a Corner.

Now, to the Individual and Ever-blelTed Trinity, Three
Perfons, but One Glorious, Almighty Lord God, be
afcribed, as is mofl due, by us, and his People every
where, all poffible Adoration, Honour and Glory,

As it was in the Beginning, is now, and ever fhall he,
' World without End. Amen.